I did mention a while ago that I had my Godh Bharai. That got me intrigued about the ritual and I did a bit of reading on that. I was surprised to learn that this is such a popular ritual in India, done across various states. Speaks volumes about what we don’t know about our own culture. Right? And then the western parallel, the baby shower. Methinks that the two are essentially the same thing – a chance for the new mommie to get together with friends and family, indulge in a bit of girlie fun before she gets busy with her new baby… conceptually, they might stem from the same thought, but look at the difference in execution.
Godh Bharais are traditional, family functions – with lots of family involved. And the moment you get extended family into the household, you are talking opinions, expectations, proper behavior and all that… you get the drift, right? You put a decent sized Indian family together and it is potentially explosive (however mild that may be) A good event is one where none occurs and everyone goes home happy! To pull such an event is taxing on the hosts… 🙂 Your friends (those who attend at all) would take a back seat and am sure they’d be a tad uncomfortable in such a setting!
Baby showers on the other hand seem organised by friends so the family takes a back seat! Now could that ever happen in an India setting? Not in this millenia for sure… But I can totally relate to friends fussing over a pregnant lady and pampering her, in a way that only friends can do… you get the picture right?
Mine was a fultoo family affair and I must say it went fairly well… No, am not claiming any credit for it. Lots of ppl did a lot… my mum, my sis in law, father in law, a few relatives… all pitched in and thankfully kept me away from the overseeing all evening. Feel blessed… touchwood!
So did you have a godh bharai / baby shower? How was it?
